Simplicity of Style in the National Gallery

Today's wedding is my ultimate dream; stylish and intimate but still a total blast! Laura & Stephen are the pair behind this city centre celebration, and on the day were joined by their two dotey children, Harry and Doug, and just a handful of guests to celebrate their love and their family. As a reflection of their eclectic interests, Laura and Stephen chose an elegant formal ceremony, contemporary portraits (within the same building) and a buzzing loft-style after party. Photographer Paula Gillespie did make it on the limited guestlist and as a result we're able to share a little in this super celebration.

Now a gorgeous little family unit, Laura and Stephen have been together for 13 years, and have known each other as friends for even longer. Adorably, Stephen even got a few mentions in Laura's teenage diary as she told us... "We lived in the same area so always knew of each other, we became friends, hit it off and Steve asked me out! A bit of college, a bit of travel and probably too much work brings us to now…we have a 3 year old Harry and recently welcomed Doug to the family in April so we wanted to finish off the year with a bang to make our lovely little family complete ‘officially’."

Laura and Stephen decided together that marriage was the next step, but it was just a week before the wedding that Stephen surprised Laura with a sparkling sapphire ring. Better late than never...

Laura and Stephen really just wanted a small, relaxed wedding day with their immediate family and friends. To make their tiny guestlist achievable Laura and Stephen split the day into three very different parts. An elegant Georgian ceremony and meal in the The National Gallery, some contemporary portraits in the newer wing of the gallery and lastly, a night of DJs and dancing in Drury Buildings.

The ceremony was the most intimate element of the day, with just Laura and Stephen and 8 of their immediate family members. With such limited numbers there was a very special feel to the ceremony, especially as little Harry and Doug were there to witness it all.

And just like that, it's official and time for hugs all round...

Following their ceremony, Laura and Stephen nipped off to nearby Merrion Square gardens to capture some cool portraits with photographer Paula.

A stunning couple, both Laura and Stephen looked effortlessly stylish on the day. Laura chose a simple dress from the Design Centre, whilst Stephen opted for a fitted Ted Baker suit and slim patterned tie.

Impressively all of the flowers and bouquets were put together by Laura's mum, most of which came from her garden in her hometown Charlestown in Mayo. Laura and Stephen's lavender favours also came straight from the garden in Mayo. If you love the idea of adding a touch of aromatic lavender to your day check out our Lovely Lavender Wedding Ideas.

For stage 2 of their wedding, Laura and Stephen returned to the National Gallery for some contemporary shots in the newer angular wing of the building, before joining a slightly larger number of guests for the meal.

A really stunning city centre venue, The National Gallery has been a firm favourite of Laura and Stephen for years, and couldn't have been a more perfect choice. "We have often gone to the gallery over the years and love the building, Laura went to art college, and as we wanted a small city centre venue it was a perfect fit. Sinead and her team at The National Gallery were extremely helpful from the very beginning and we felt really looked after and welcomed there. The catering was provided by Feast Catering run by Peaches Kemp who was equally helpful throughout the planning and they did a fantastic job."

Adding a touch of sentimentality to their looks and wedding rings, Laura and Stephen incorporated pieces of metal from Stephen's late father's work tools. "Our rings were made by our friends at Dacapo Goldsmiths, they helped us create wedding bands that were really special to us. Steve’s late father Bill was a panel beater so we were able to include a piece of one of his beloved hammers into each of the bands."

Laura's uncle also added a touch of personality by creating wooden centrepiece bases for Laura and Stephen which were made from felled trees that her grandfather had planted.

To end their day Stephen and Laura held a proper party of music and dancing for all of their friends in the industrial style Drury Buildings. Huge congratulations to all four of you, and thank you so much for sharing your effortlessly stylish day with us, it was a real treat to share such a beautiful and intimate occasion. Hugely inspiring.

A big thank you also goes to Paula Gillespie for sharing her work with us. To see more of Paula's photography head over to www.paulagillespie.com